Chapter 49:
Vader sat in his throne, with Leia at his side. Reaching out to his apprentice in the Force, he said, Come to the throne room, apprentice.
Atrox sat in the middle of the sitting room in his quarters meditating, when he heard his master's call. He got up slowly and responded through their bond, Yes, master, before stalking down the corridors to the throne room.
Leia and Vader both turned to look at him as he entered, and Vader said, "I believe it would be beneficial to both of you to spar together." He lifted Leia's lightsaber from his lap, and fingered it, absently.
Atrox smirked at Leia as he unhooked his saber staff from his belt and ignited one of its crimson blades while he opened himself to the dark side of the Force. He broke into a sprint, running towards Leia with his blade poised for attack.
Leia called her lightsaber to her hand and ignited it, its blue blade coming up to counter Atrox's assault. She wouldn't allow herself to think about the fact that this was the first time she had come up against another person with a lightsaber; she couldn't, or he would crush her.
Atrox pressed her ruthlessly, a stab here, a slash there, wielding his blade with the raw power he'd always possessed. Vader reached out to her, gently intertwining his voice into her concentration so as not to startle her into making a mistake. Let the Force guide you… feel, don't think; use your instincts. The reflexes will come.
She allowed herself to merely react, and gradually, the prickle of danger sense she'd been developing slowly began to strengthen, like a whisper in her ear warning her of his next attack. He aimed a thrust at her chest, and she batted it aside, just enough so it missed her. He smirked, and twisted the blade around to catch her blade into a lock. She stared into his burning eyes for a moment before letting the saber lock break, leaping backwards out of the path of his blade.
Vader spoke to her again, quietly. If you would use the anger inside you as a tool, you would have more power. You're not strong enough to defeat him on your own.
Leia thrust her blade downward, blocking a slash, and snapped, No! Her concentration broke, and she found herself on the ground, with Atrox's lightsaber quivering at her throat.
They stared at each other for a moment, then Leia dropped her gaze. "I yield."
Atrox held her gaze for a moment with a cold, impassive stare and then deactivated his blade and turned towards his master.
Vader nodded, once, not surprised by the outcome. "You are learning. Your potential is limited, however, by the restraints you have created for yourself."
She picked herself up off the ground, Atrox's coldness leaving her ill at ease, and turned to face Vader. "I must be allowed to choose my own path, father."
Atrox spun around to face his sister. "You do, however, need to be able to properly defend yourself. What makes you think you would be able to defeat another Force user if you are unable to defeat me, not to mention able to land a single hit on me!" Atrox said coldly, looking her in the eyes.
She turned a little pale, but responded steadily, "I accept your… your training, but not the dark side."
"You will never be powerful enough if you don't," Vader warned. "It could be years before you're skilled enough to defeat an opponent. Years which you may not have."
Leia simply looked at him. "Then I will have to train harder."
Atrox shot his master an uncertain look. "What is that supposed to mean, master?"
"That she may be in a life-or-death situation before she is ready," Vader responded, coolly.
Atrox glared at his master. "No. You are referring to something that you are hiding… something that you fear," he said boldly.
Vader's glare intensified sharply, and he blasted his apprentice with Force lightning, driving him to his knees. "If there is anything you need to know, I will tell you when it is appropriate, my apprentice, and not before. Who are you to question my judgment?" He hit Atrox with another blast, stronger than the first.
Leia winced as she sensed her brother's nerve endings screaming with pain, and yet, also, he was becoming stronger for it.
Atrox forced himself to lock eyes with his master and glared at him, accepting his punishment, knowing that it was making him more powerful. "Then it must be true. What is it master? Does mother die again… or does Leia actually join the Jedi and kill us all?" Atrox asked, bracing himself for further punishment.
Nor was he disappointed. "Leia, wait for me outside the door," Vader commanded. She nodded, and left the room quickly.
Vader controlled the lightning so it fell just short of knocking Atrox unconscious, but it was still far more intense than he had experienced before. His screams echoed down the hall outside the throne room, ringing in Leia's ears. "It is not your place to question me, nor are your assumptions correct in any way. If I wanted to tell you, I WOULD HAVE!"
The moment Mara felt Atrox being punished, she ran to the throne room, hoping desperately that she could help him somehow, or at least be there for him. She met Leia at the door, and glared at her, fiercely. "What is he doing to him?" she demanded.
Leia bowed her head. "Lord Atrox questioned Lord Vader's judgment."
Mara glared at the door, and pushed past Leia towards it. "Be caref—" Leia began, but Mara cut her off.
"I don't need you telling me what to do, Jedi scum," she snapped, and shoved the door open.
Atrox collapsed onto the floor and continued to fuel his power from his pain. His body cringed from the lightning that was coursing through him, as Mara stormed toward Vader, eyes blazing. "Stop it!" she shouted at him, furiously. "Get away from him!"
Vader stopped the lightning, and turned. "You will not interfere with disciplining my apprentice, Mara Jade," he said, coldly. As she continued towards him, he dipped into the Force, and held her there, out of range of the lightning, and out of reach of Atrox. She glared at him, furiously, as he resumed blasting Atrox with lightning. "Not even the woman you love has the power to save you from the punishment you deserve." Mara glared at Vader, fiercely, straining every muscle in her body to break free and get at him.
Leia stared at the scene through a crack in the door, horrified, further convinced of the corruption of the dark side. It twists everything. It… it destroys families. How could they…
Atrox felt Mara's presence enter the room, hearing her voice. When he heard his father's voice again, talking about Mara, he shot a deadly glare at him, his teeth clenched, his anger shooting at his father as he forced himself to get up off of the floor even though his master's lightning was still pouring into him.
Leia couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene in the other room. "He's so… angry," she whispered to herself.
Vader shoved Atrox to the ground with the Force, close to completely losing control of his wrath. "Do not resist, or it may go ill with your apprentice," he warned, coldly.
Atrox looked towards Mara for a long moment and turned back towards his master, "Continue with your punishment, my master," he said in a dark tone through gritted teeth.
Vader gazed at his apprentice, considering, then forced his way into Atrox's mind. He began exposing his son's most private thoughts and memories, taking no pains to make the procedure gentler.
Leia covered her mouth with a hand, in horror, and fled the scene. Perhaps her mother could stop the violence, for she knew with a certainty that if she tried to interfere, Vader would not think twice about harming her, or worse.
If anything, the agony Atrox was in was more intense than the lightning. Forced to feel his master dig through things he never wished to reveal, and close to losing consciousness from the pain, he did his best to shield Mara from what he was feeling.
Moments later, Padmé rushed into the room, stopping just short of where they were. "Anakin, what are you doing?" she gasped, fear in her voice.
Vader continued probing his son's thoughts, but released Mara enough for her to speak. Mara at once began shouting at Vader, vehemently, forcing herself to fight past the pain she felt washing off of Atrox.
"Mara, what happened?" Padmé asked her, urgently.
Mara paused long enough to glance at Padmé. "That- that monster is torturing my lord for asking simple questions!" she snarled.
"Questions? What questions?" Padmé asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
Vader released his son, letting him collapse onto the floor, and turned to face his wife. "He wanted to know if Leia was going to join the Jedi and destroy us, or… or if I was to kill you again." His voice was dispassionate, drained of emotion. His eyes flicked to Mara, and he snapped, "Don't interfere," and then released her.
She knelt down at Atrox's side immediately, turning him over and running her fingers through his hair. Are… are you alright?
Atrox remained crumpled on the floor, though he wrapped an arm around Mara. "I will obey my master," he whispered. "Your loyalty to me… will be rewarded in time."
Mara held him tighter, wanting nothing more than to get him to a medbay, but knew that neither of them could leave until Vader released them. Another rush of anger ran through her as she thought of what Vader had done to him.
Atrox looked up to his master and met his eyes. "I will never challenge your will again… my master. I live to serve your will, and the Empire… forgive me."
Vader took a few steps toward his son, but stopped when he saw the dangerous look on Mara's face.
Atrox glanced up at her, and murmured, "He may approach."
Mara lowered her eyes submissively. "Yes master."
Vader bent down and helped his son to stand. "You are forgiven, my apprentice."
Atrox looked at his father and retracted his arm, his yellow eyes narrowed at Vader and a glare present on his face. He stormed out of the throne room, not paying any attention to either Padmé or Leia, and headed for his quarters.
Mara turned to follow him, when she was halted by Vader's voice. "You tread a dangerous line, Mara Jade. Do not assume that your new status gives you the right to flaunt my commands."
Her eyes narrowed, but she replied, "Yes, Lord Vader," and left the room, seeking her master.
Padmé and Leia watched them leave, stunned by the cruelty and harshness that was an indelible part of the Sith.